Statutory employee benefit pay to rise from April 2019

In a written ministerial statement, the government has announced the proposed new rates for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for tax year 2019/20.

The proposed revised rates are as follows:

The standard weekly rates of SMP, SAP, SPP and ShPP will increase from £145.18 to £148.68 – it is assumed this will be for payment weeks commencing on or after Sunday, 7 April 2019. The prescribed weekly rate of maternity allowance (MA) will also increase from £145.18 to £148.68

The weekly rate of SSP will increase from £92.05 to £94.25 from 6 April 2019

The earnings threshold, below which employees are not entitled to SMP, SAP, SPP, ShPP and SSP, will increase from £116.00 to £118.00 per week from 6 April 2019.